@Alistair *********

I do not think that Brandon give such advice in every instance, but since most people ask about BKK or Phuket, it sure seems like it.

@Charlie *******

You are bringing hypothetical. Yes, of course, you can be very unlucky and the exact day that a policy change at a particular airport or border you are the unlucky first to be ask what was previously never ask. Just like an airplane could crash into my house and kill me in my sleep. It's possible, but that doesn't mean that I need to shield my bedroom from that "hypothetical". Went the risk is that low, you go with the flow unless proven otherwise.

The best example is the Non O Multi Entry based on Marriage which was possible for over 10 years at Savannakhet without showing 400k baht in bank account. A few months ago they suddenly stopped allowing the Multi Entry without the 400k baht. The unlucky who were there that day got denied and had to do a Single Entry. They were extremely unlucky to be there that exact day. Of course there is a risk that a policy change, but as of now some border and airports ask 0% of the time for any of the 3 proof of. It's the only factual info we have, not what may or may not happen in the future.

@Charlie *******

I am quite calm, does not use any curse word nor express angriness, projection much? You are quite agitated and argumentative while knowing very little.

1) Being right is objective, having an opinion is subjective.

2) Nowhere in your OP did you specify that it was about BKK, Phuket, or both.

3) I am not here to please you, but to provide factual information, which often get lost in the sea of bad info.

4) Yes, your post would be factually correct, but as of today, not correct since some borders and airports have not ask for any of the 3 proof of to anyone ever.

5) Your original post was a generalization and a bad attempt at debunking a myth which you failed to do.

6) It's not about whose right or wrong, it's about which info is correct.

7) Your post is not intended to help, since nobody asked, it was unwanted. You made a post trying to debunk a myth, but failed to do so.

8.) Tod Daniels is the cleverest in this group.

@Charlie *******

"Are you saying that the three proofs as you call them are not needed anywhere?". No, I am saying that some airports and borders will ask most of the time, some will sometimes ask, and some will never ask. The reason why being precise matter is that it confuse people if you generalize too much and can make them scared for no reason.

For example, last week on this FB group someone was scared out of his mind because he was about to enter Thailand via Nong Khai and didn't have 20k baht since he had too much Laos Kip and didn't exchange it, blabla, etc. Little did he know, Nong Khai does not ask to see 20k baht or any of the other 2 proof of. I live near Nong Khai border, I cross that border frequently, they just don't care about these requirements. I've seen thousands of people cross there over the years, never once did I encounter any foreigner being asked for anything. It's a chill border.

Poipet would be the complete opposite, going there without all 3 proof of is suicidal. So if someone say that the 3 proof of is necessary and at IO discretion without specifying which airport and border, he is spreading misinformation. The same if someone says "Ive never been asked anywhere!!", that would in fact be even more damaging because then someone could try to border run Poipet and be in trouble since it's a hard border to bounce from.

The example above about the scared dude entering from Nong Khai is why precising the airport and the border matter.

@Charlie *******

Since we are on the "mythbuster" train, let me correct you on two common myths:

1) "It does not matter where you cross the border, it is at IO discretion". This is a common myth which come from a "partially true" fact. The fact is that at certain airports and borders it's a gamble whether you will get asked or not (this is where the common "IO discretion" misconception come from). BUT, at some airports and borders, you will never get asked. This is why you cannot generalize the "IO discretion" statement. People who do generalize are well intended but are misinformed.

2) "If you must be right and have the last word then I admit it you are right and 99% of everyone else, including me, are totally wrong". The fact is that this group is called "Thailand Visa Advice..." and is filled with people with very little knowledge and experience (that's why they are here asking questions and learning). The people who already knows enough about Visas and "everything else" are either sometimes helping others here (I do that sometimes) or are not part of this group because they don't need help nor want to help others on FB. So no, 99% don't agree with you. Most of the people who joined this group to help others would disagree with most of what you said.

@Charlie *******

I do not have a set amount of money in the bank, nor am I on Non O most of the time, nor do I need money in the bank to get said Non O, nor am I exempt of the 3 requirements (proof of) if I am on Non O. The sheer confidence in which you said all that while being wrong is astonishing.

Also, I do not take steps to avoid BKK because I could be asked... I avoid BKK because I would get denied entry and would need to pay 8k baht for an agent VIP line, but there no way you know what I'm talking about.

You are relatively new to Thailand, probably do a lot of in and out, but are unfamiliar with how each immigration, airport and border entry works. It's not a one shoe fit all. Each immigration, airport and border enforce the laws differently. Pĥuket use to be relatively easy, but it's been stricter the last few years.

But some airports and borders will simply never ask (no reports of anyone being asked). For example, Mukdahan and Nong Khai border will never ever ask you for any of the 3 proof of. And you won't find report online (on FB, Forum, etc) of anyone being ask.

@Charlie *******

Which part is confusing to you? Your whole post is useless and factually incorrect because you make generalization where nuance apply.

@Charlie *******

The distinction/nuance between each airport and each border was not part of your initial post. I could make a spreadsheet of which airport always vs sometimes vs never ask, and same with the borders, but the people who never carry the "proof of" mostly have my level of knowledge so they would not benefit anyways. I have not carry any proof of since 2015, been here since 2012. Never been questioned nor ask any of the 3 proof of, and got married to my Thai wife 2 years ago.

One of the reason why such confusion happens (lack of nuance) is because most people who preach having all 3 "proof of" are using BKK as a barometer (this is why some people use the term "requirement"). BKK airport is the strictest in Thailand (by far). So a lot of people here got questioned in BKK airport, denied, or asked all 3 proof of. So now they are using BKK as the norm or the reason why "better be safe than sorry".

Most people who enter by air will do from BKK so there is a selection bias. But if you enter from let say Hat Yai, it's a piece of cake. You may ask how the fuck can you do UK to Hat Yai, you can't, but what you can do is UK to Malaysia, than to Hat Yai. I did this a few times just to avoid BKK airport (not from UK but you get my point). And it was overall cheaper $$ because Malaysian airlines are cheap.

Your post lack nuance and your interpretation of a believer vs non-believer is also too general. Each airport and border will have a different level of scrunity from always asking all 3 proof of to never ask, to everything in the middle. For example, in BKK airport, they ask a lot, but in Nong Khai or Mukdahan border, they never ask. The word "never" doesn't imply "rarely", it truly mean never as in "no reported case of anyone being ask any of the 3 proof of".

To be fair, I should not say never, but you have more chance to get hit by lightning than being ask for 20k baht while entering Thailand from Laos.